Nanochemistry at the atomic scale revealed in hydrogen-induced semiconductor surface metallization

Passivation of semiconductor surfaces against chemical attack can be achieved by terminating the surface-dangling bonds with a monovalent atom such as hydrogen. Such passivation invariably leads to the removal of all surface states in the bandgap, and thus to the termination of non-metallic surfaces...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Nature materials Vol. 2; no. 4; pp. 253 - 258
Main Authors:	Soukiassian, Patrick G, Derycke, Vincent, Amy, Fabrice, Chabal, Yves J, D'angelo, Marie D, Enriquez, Hanna B, Silly, Mathieu G
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England Nature Publishing Group 01-04-2003
Subjects:	Absorption Adsorption Carbon Compounds, Inorganic - chemistry Crystallography - methods Hydrogen Hydrogen - chemistry Hydrogen Bonding Materials Testing - methods Metals - chemistry Microchemistry - methods Microscopy Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling - methods Models, Molecular Nanotechnology - instrumentation Nanotechnology - methods Semiconductors Silicon Silicon Compounds - chemistry Spectrum Analysis - methods Surface Properties United States > US New Jersey
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Summary:	Passivation of semiconductor surfaces against chemical attack can be achieved by terminating the surface-dangling bonds with a monovalent atom such as hydrogen. Such passivation invariably leads to the removal of all surface states in the bandgap, and thus to the termination of non-metallic surfaces. Here we report the first observation of semiconductor surface metallization induced by atomic hydrogen. This result, established by using photo-electron and photo-absorption spectroscopies and scanning tunnelling techniques, is achieved on a Si-terminated cubic silicon carbide (SiC) surface. It results from competition between hydrogen termination of surface-dangling bonds and hydrogen-generated steric hindrance below the surface. Understanding the ingredient for hydrogen-stabilized metallization directly impacts the ability to eliminate electronic defects at semiconductor interfaces critical for microelectronics, provides a means to develop electrical contacts on high-bandgap chemically passive materials, particularly for interfacing with biological systems, and gives control of surfaces for lubrication, for example of nanomechanical devices.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:	1476-1122 1476-4660
DOI:	10.1038/nmat835